Punjab Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department has received a total of 1,09,240 applications from farmers across the State for availing 50 per cent subsidy on the certified wheat seeds.
“Total 21,842 invoices of 8736.8 quintal seeds have already been uploaded on the Department’s portal. The subsidy for wheat seeds is being provided for a maximum of five acres (two quintals) area per farmer, besides giving priority to the SC, small (2.5 to 5five acres) and marginal farmers (up to 2.5 acres) in providing subsidized seeds,” said the state Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Sunday.
Khuddian said that the certified wheat seeds are being provided at 50 per cent subsidy of total cost of seeds, or to a maximum of Rs 1,000 per quintal to farmers in the Rabi 2023-24 season. Farmers will pay only the amount left after reduction of the subsidy amount on the purchase of the wheat seeds, he added.
Most of the applications (11,589) received from Fazilka district, followed by Sangrur (9894), Bathinda (9282), Sri Muktsar Sahib (7261), Patiala (6205), Mansa (6139) and Faridkot (6047).
To provide best quality seeds to the farmers, close monitoring of wheat seeds is being ensured, said the Minister, adding that the State Government has always stood by its farmers and concerted steps are being taken to make the agriculture sector profitable.